慕容云

生平

慕容云祖父名高和，其家族本是高句骊人，慕容皝攻破句骊时，将大批句骊人迁徙至燕国，慕容云家族就在其中。因此以高为氏。

早期的高云于后燕时沉默寡言，并没有什么名气，只有中卫将军冯跋看出他的气度与他结交。慕容宝为太子时，高云在东宫供职，官拜侍御郎。

后燕永康二年（397年），高云因率军击败慕容宝之子慕容会的叛军，被慕容宝收养，赐姓慕容氏，任命为建威将军，封夕阳公。

后燕光始六年（406年），慕容熙攻高句骊。慕容云为箭矢所伤，遂称病辞官。

后燕建始元年（407年），冯跋借慕容熙为苻后送葬之机起事，拥立慕容云即天王位，改元正始，国号大燕。不久慕容熙被擒，慕容云将他和几个儿子一同处死。慕容云即位后恢复原本的高姓，立妻子李氏为皇后，子高彭城为太子，又以冯跋为都督中外诸军事、开府仪同三司、录尚书事、武邑公。次年，高云封慕容归为辽东公，命他主管慕容氏宗庙的祭祀。高云自知无功而登大位，因此培养一批禁卫保护自己，并且大加赏赐。正始三年（409年），高云被禁卫离班和桃仁所杀。高云死后，冯跋处死离班、桃仁，即天王位，为高云上谥号惠懿皇帝。410年，冯跋礼葬高云及其妻子，并在韭町为高云立庙祭祀。

由于对高云是否属后燕慕容氏一族成员的看法不同，因此有人认为高云是后燕末任君主，也有人把他视为北燕立国君主。

家族

祖父

高和，高句骊人，或为高句丽王族，高云在位时，高句丽王遣使来“叙宗族”。

妻

李皇后

子

太子高彭城

Gao Yun (Chinese: 高雲) (died 409), at one time Murong Yun (慕容雲), courtesy name Ziyu (子雨), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Huiyi of Later/Northern Yan (後/北燕惠懿帝), was either the last monarch of China's Later Yan dynasty or the founding monarch of China's Northern Yan dynasty, depending on the historian's characterization. He was a descendant of the royal house of Goguryeo (Gaogouli), whose ancestors were captured by the Former Yan dynasty. He was adopted into the Later Yan imperial house after helping Murong Bao (Emperor Huimin) put down a rebellion by Murong Bao's son Murong Hui. Gao Yun became emperor after the people rebelled against the despotic rule of his adoptive uncle Murong Xi (Emperor Zhaowen), and during his reign, he used the title "Heavenly King". In 409, he was assassinated, and after a disturbance, was replaced by his ethnic Han general Feng Ba (Emperor Wencheng).

Early life

Gao Yun's ancestors were from the Goguryeo royal house. When Murong Huang defeated Goguryeo forces and temporarily occupied its capital Hwando, he took many members of the Goguryeo royal house captive and moved them to Qingshan (青山, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning), and their descendants became Former Yan and Later Yan subjects.

As of 397, Gao Yun was a mid-level official in the administration of Murong Bao (Emperor Huimin), when Murong Bao, under military pressure by Northern Wei, abandoned the capital Zhongshan (中山, in modern Baoding, Hebei) and sought to take refuge at the old Former Yan capital of Longcheng (龍城, also in Jinzhou). On the way, his son Murong Hui, resentful that his younger brother Murong Ce (慕容策) was made crown prince over him, rebelled, and while Murong Bao was able to reach Longcheng, Murong Hui put Longcheng under siege. During one night, Gao Yun led about 100 soldiers and made a surprise attack on Murong Hui's camp, causing Murong Hui's army to collapse. Murong Hui fled to Zhongshan and was killed there. For Gao Yun's contributions, Murong Bao made him the Duke of Xiyang and adopted him as his own son, and so his name was changed to Murong Yun. It was around this time that he befriended another general, Feng Ba, as Murong Yun was not looked upon favorably by others because he was a man of few words, but Feng Ba saw that he had wisdom and tolerance.

Little is known about Murong Yun's life in the next few years.……

Reign

After Murong Xi's death, Murong Yun reassumed his original family name Gao. Being insecure about how he felt he had little contributions to the people or to his own place on the throne, he employed many skillful guards to protect him. He further began to favor two jesters named Li Ban (離班) and Tao Ren (桃仁), to have Li and Tao be in charge of security. He awarded them with great wealth, and their foods and clothes could match those of Gao Yun himself. As far as the government was concerned, important matters were largely in the hands of Feng Ba and his brothers Feng Sufu, Feng Ruchen (馮乳陳), and Feng Hong and cousins Feng Wani, as well as Sun Hu (孫護) and Wu Yinti (務銀提).

In 408, Gao Yun made his wife, Lady Li, empress, and he made his son, Gao Pengcheng (高彭城), crown prince. He also buried Murong Xi and Empress Fu with imperial honors. It was also around this time that Gwanggaeto the Great, king of Goguryeo, sent messengers to him to try to establish peaceful relations as well as to ascertain the relationship between Gao Yun and the current Goguryeo royal line. Gao Yun also sent messengers to Goguryeo to affirm the relationship. He made Murong Gui (慕容歸) the Duke of Liaodong and had Murong Gui be in charge of continuing the worship of the Murong ancestors.

In winter 409, Gao Yun was assassinated—an event that is mysterious in its cause and scope.……

Personal information

Wife

Empress Li (created 408, d. 409?)

Children

Gao Pengcheng (高彭城), the Crown Prince (created 408)